A MAN of Lusaka’s John Laing compound who eloped with his lover at night after failing to pay dowry has been sued in a Lusaka local court.

This is in a case in which Isaac Kabumbwe, 40, a farmer of John Laing compound sued John Mwila, 32, of the same compound for eloping his niece, Mercy Sibajene, 22.

Kabumbwe told Senior Court Magistrate Abbishine Michelo sitting with Magistrates Lewis Mumba and Esther Mulomba at Kanyama Local Court that Mwila eloped with his niece in 2013 and that he did not pay anything to show that she was his wife.

He explained that they intended to sit down to resolve the matter amicably but that brought about a lot of confusion and that was the reason he decided to sue Mwila.

In defence, Mwila said that after being in a relationship with Mercy for two months, his relatives took plates to her parents to pay admission of guilt.

He denied eloping with Mercy because he openly confirmed his intentions to her when her parents accepted what he paid as admission of guilt.

Mwila said he was charged K250 for elopement and K5, 000 for dowry which came to K5, 250.

But Mercy said that Mwila got her at night after paying admission of guilt without her parents knowing.

She explained that she had since left Mwila because they had differed.

Magistrate Michelo said that it was evident that Mwila eloped Mercy because there was no consent by her parents.

He ordered Mwila to compensate Kabumbwe K2, 500 with initial payment of K500 followed by monthly instalments of K250.